TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 July 1938, Page 5

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

RIVAL HIT AN UNLUCKY HORSE

(By

‘‘The Cynic.”)

Once again Rival Hit is reported to be on the mend in Sydney and his trainer, B. Payten, has hopes that the Winning Hit —Rivalry gelding will be ready to race in the late spring. Since he was sold by Sir Charles Clifford after a winning effort, his first start, at Riccarton early in the season. r; ._ Rival Hit has been in all the trouble but in spite of his bad luck he has won two races out of seven starts in Sydney. He had not been long off the boat when he was sprinted up and raced. Laryngitis followed and he had to be spelled. Soon after recovering and showing promise in work he fell on a road and injured his back. After that trouble he won two races, but not long ago had another fall on a road and broke his pelvis. Rival Hit showed excellent promise when trained by H. and A. Cults at Riccarton, and but for bad luck would no doubt have considerably improved on his record to date. At two thousand guineas, the price reported to have been paid for him, he was not considered a dear horse. A three-year-old roan gelding, he exhibited bulldog qualities in his work and is not the type of horse that will give in easily in a race.

His dam. Rivalry, was bred by the late Sir George Clifford in 1920, being by Antagonist from Equipment, by Martian from To-morrow, by Bill of Portland from Elusive, by Trenton from Eleusis (imp.), by Barcaldine. The Iliad filly Dainty Verse failed by half a head in an attempt at the West Australian Turf Club’s meeting to score her fifth win in successive starts. She had 9.11, and although only a small mare, she filled second place behind Galerius, who had 271 b. less. Lustral is amongst the recruits’ to hurdling, shaping well in his schooling. The Centrepiece gelding Middle is reported to be shaping well in his schooling over hurdles. The field for the Wanganui Guineas in September is likely to be a particularly strong one, as there appears a fair prospect of such proved two-year-olds as Surmount, Defaulter, Taurangl, Russian Balet, Amigo, ■ and Rehearsal going to the post. Others engaged include Homily, Fabric, and Minga. The novice jumper by Balboa from Homeland in Mr W. E. Hazlett's stable may make his first appearance in public in the Amateur Cup Steeplechase at the Waimate Hunt meeting on July 16. The race is for qualified hunters to be ridden by gentlemen riders. Smoke Screen has been getting through useful striding work and may be seen out at Wanganui prior to going up for the Auckland spring meeting. G. Price, who has done so well with two-year-olds this season, with Pandava as his star, will have plenty of young material to work upon during the coming season. His collection of yearlings is as follows:—B.c. by Limond —Miss Thespian, b.f. by Night Raid —Coronilla, b.c. by Manitoba —Parsimony, b.c. by Heroic —Ashtar, b.c. by Harinero —Truest, b.f. by Iliad —Quadrilateral, b.f. by Waikere—Miss Molong, b.c. by Harinero —Alimark, b.c. by Brazen—Peka, br.c. by Beau Pere — Joy Bird. \ ' ■ i.Nearcp,. .by Pharos, winner of the Grand Prix de Paris from Calnot and Bois Roussel, has a connection with Carbine, in that his dam, Nogara, was by Havresac from Catnip, by Spearmint. He won seven races as a two-year-old, and up to the time he won the Italian Derby on May 12 in a canter he had not been beaten. Donatello 11, the Italian champion of the previous season was also raced in the same interests as Nearco. Donatello II was unbeaten in Italy but in the Grand

Prix of 1927 he struck his colours to the French champion, Clairvoyant, who also beat him in the Prix du Jockey Club. Bois Roussel won the English Derby last month. Nearco has since been sold at 60,000 guineas.

One of the outstanding features of racing in the north this season has been the success of the progeny of Vaals. Gold Vaals has won five good races and Cheval de Voice has done well, his wins including the Ellerslie and Cornwall Handicaps at Ellerslie and the President’s Handicap at Pukekohe. He has also been runner-up in the Islington and Waiternata Handicaps. Valamito has won four important handicaps and has been very consistent, his record also showing several placings. Barrister, Royal Vaals, Vaalso, and Valmint have all raced prominently, while one of his representatives at Riccarton, Rex Maitland, will be in evidence in the new season.

Nightcalm, C. Emerson’s Winter Cup candidate, is on the easy list at present as the result of a bruised foot. He had not started since the South Canterbury meeting in May, when he won the open sprint narrowly from Grey Honour on the first day and was unplaced on the final day. The let-up from daily exercise on the tracks did this three-year-old Night Raid—Sweet Memory gelding good, and he has thrived on the road exercise given him. Nightcalm, whose record this season is four wins and two thirds in ten starts, should develop into a useful horse, though Winter Cup company this season may be a bit too solid for him.

Happy Night, the only member of Emerson’s team in regular work at present, will be given a run at the Westport meeting. A long stridor, his form has been disappointing many times this season, but he has two -wins to his credit.

The Sydney owner who races as “Mr Constable” brought off one of-the longest —and most undesirable —shots ever associated with the breeding of thoroughbreds. When in England in 1936 he bought the mares Banita (Dark Legend—Balilla) and Aissa (Herbalist — Amaryllis). He had them mated to Australian time, Aissa going to Truculent, and Banita to Havelock. They both foaled this season after their arrival in New South Wales, and each threw twins, both sets dying. It would be impossible to compute the odds against such an occurrence in similar circumstances.

Surge was schooled three times over two flights of hurdles at Invercargill on Saturday and made quite a good job of it. This was her first bout since the Dunedin meeting, and she has improved in condition since going into Mr W. E. Hazlett’s stable. Present intentions are to give her some further racing this w’inter and then retire her to the stud.—“ Southland News."

Surcoat who showed to such advantage when schooled a few times over hurdles is being given every chance. The half-brother to Protector and Shatter being only a four-year-old, and unraced, F. D. Jones has sent him to a farm to be hacked about for J 2 months, and it will be next winter before he is required to race.

The rising two-year-old Bere Regis, a filly by Lord Warden from Anthem owned by Mr C. N. Draper, has been placed in commission again. The filly went sore when first put into work, but another attempt will be made to have her ready to contest the John Grigg Stakes at Ashburton in September.

Chief Ranger, whose racing days are over, is now in use as a hack on a farm in. the Cheviot district.

Dr. M. G. Louisson’s colt by Beau from Dignified known as Benevolent, is growing so rapidly that it has been deemed advisable to ease him up. Benevolent already a massive colt, may not now be raced until the autumn.

Aiguille is not a sound horse, but the easy tracks just now are all in his favour, and W. Blanche did not have to wait long for some return from him as his winning effort at Dannevirke was only his third outing since resuming a few weeks ago at Foxton. It will not be easy to strike such a weak field as that which he defeated on Saturday, but it was a wonderful opportunity to get the winter expenses as he paid an entirely false price.

Sir Rabbi, a maiden three-year-old by Rabbi from Maritza, has been showing speed in his recent races and may be good enough to win a novice race in the near future. He drew a wide marble and was badly away in his race at Dannevirke, but made up his ground in the closing stages and finished third, a highly creditable performance in the circumstances.

The death occurred at Balclutha recently of the brood mare Redowa. left many winners who between them won about £lO,OOO in stakes. Redowa is not included in the Stud Book but she was a useful winner herself and was got by the Stepniak horse. All Red. Redowa's best winner was Baldowa who won £5300 in stakes. Others of her list included: Red Boa £3OOO, Miss Redowa £7OO and Redolent, a winner of £4BO last year- and also a winner this season. Baldowa, like Red Boa, was by Balboa. Baldowa proved herself a great race mare and her successes included a Thompson Handicap and the Dunedin Jockey Club Handicap. After missing three seasons to British Empire, Redowa produced a *roan filly by a Tractor colt, and this youngster, now rising three years, is the youngest of her produce.